Sad news alert: Star Wars concept artist Ralph McQuarrie, the man behind the designs for Darth Vader, Chewbacca, R2-D2 and C-3PO, died March 3rd at the age of 82.

McQuarrie was a true talent and created many iconic sci fi images of the 1970s and 80s. The original Star Wars trilogy would not have been as wondrous or imaginative-looking without him. In fact, it may not have been made at all if George Lucas hadn’t taken a pile of McQuarrie’s inspiring drawings along with him when he successfully pitched his Star Wars idea at 20th Century Fox. When he had pitched his movie concept at Universal – without bringing any drawings – they passed.

In addition to working on the three films in the original Star Wars trilogy, McQuarrie provided designs for Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T., the original Battlestar Galactica TV series and won an Oscar for his work on Cocoon.